O&R Utilities added 30 MWs of customer solar power last year

Orange and Rockland Utilities (O&R) customers added approximately 30 megawatts of customer solar power to O&R’s electric system last year – the second-highest total in the past 20 years.

Overall, O&R customers – who reside in New York and New Jersey – have completed more than 12,000 projects with the capacity to produce nearly 213 megawatts of electricity since 2001.

“Our customers are the keys to our clean energy future. Their continued strong support for solar energy contributes to meeting vital environmental and sustainability goals that are essential to creating a viable future for us, for our children, and for generations to come,” O&R President and CEO Robert Sanchez said.

The solar panels that customers installed in 2022 have the same impact on the environment as taking roughly 3,400 cars off the road.

O&R wants to help more customers complete solar projects by owning large-scale solar generation projects in New York State. The company is seeking state approval for ownership of these projects because it can operate them more efficiently than private developers, which they say would result in customers saving money. The company has a goal of delivering 100 percent clean energy by 2040.

O&R provides electric and gas service in New York to Rockland, and parts of Orange and Sullivan counties, while its sister firm, Rockland Electric Company, provides electric service to parts of Bergen, Passaic, and Sussex counties in New Jersey. Consolidated Edison owns both companies.